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R. LPARISEN. CONIROLLING' THE FLOW OF GAS FOR HEATING WATER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-2l. ISIS Patented Feb. 10,1920.

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H O T N E V m WITNESSES -FACTUNING COMPANY, or

PENNSYLVANIA.

PETTSBURGH, EN-NSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION CONTROLLING THE', FLOWOF GAS FOR HEATING'WTER.

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known thatl, ROBERT T. PARISEN, aV

citizen of the United States, and resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, 'have invented certain new and useful Improvementsy inGontrolling the Flow of Gas for Heating Vlfater, as set forth in the annexed specification. This invention relates to utilizing the temperature of the water beingheated for controlling the flow of gas'for heating the same, and involves the employment of vmovable means for controlling the gas flow, such means being utilized in connection withvfo'rce producing means that is automatically con*- trolled by the temperature l of "the water. The force producing means may bevariously embodied; also various'means may beeinployed for transmitting th-e force and making it effective in controlling` the flow of fuel gas. In the preferred practice, the gas flow is varied or shut off altogether by varying the level of a body ofliquid, and such level variations are produ-ced by a force that is under thermostatic control of 'the water. Air or other gaseous medium confined above such liquid constitutes :a convenient and eflicient force producer as it is lreadily susceptibl-e to variations -in temperature o'f the water, the resulting variations iny volume of the gaseous medium acting tovary thelevel of the liquid; The invention however contemplates any force producer that is vunder `the automatic control of the water 'being heated and which creates the necessary variations inthe liq'uid level. While lthe .force creating and force transmitting agencies above referred to are preferably used in conjunction with each other, it will be underf stood that the invention contemplates'the employment of' either ofthose agencies'in connection with any other agencythat will render the same eective for'automatically controlling' the flow' of gas for `heating specification of Letters Patent.

VApplcatolriled September 21, 1916. 'Serial No. 121,483.

lhence begins to affect the'gas flow. Itis characteristic of this feature of the invention that normally, or atleast inthe'rst stages of the water-heating operation, the gaseous medium is in'communication wit the atmosphere and lso remains until that temperature has been attained-at which it is desired to start the production of the'gascontrolling force. If water of relatively high temperature Visdesired, the adjustment is such that the thermostatv becomes Veffective and closes communication with the atmosf phere only after the water has been 'heated to a yconsiderable amount'. 'v On the other hand,y if -a relatively lowwater Vtemperature is desired, the adjustment is such'that'the Patented reaio, 19ao. Y

thermostat acts more promptly, thereby closf ing` communication with the atmosphere and 'hence confining the gaseousmediuin at an y earlier stage in the operation-and causing the expansion thereof tov more promptly react `on v the gas flow.

' The invention is preferably embodied in! apparatus-wherein liquid of changinglevel under the'inluenceof a-Varying-VOlume of air or other gaseous medium operates to vproduce a seal foi-'varying orfforstopping theV flow lof gas, therebyl'dispensing with-irme( Fig. 2 is a view in top plan of thewater j acketed chamber of the improved apparatus taken on line 2-2 of Figil. Fig. 3 isa detail of the thermostatic valve for controlling communication with! the atmosphere. y

Referring to the drawings, 2v designates a yportion of a boiler` or otherwater container to which the circulating -pipes 3 land tare connected at different elevations,'pipe 3 4pref-ji erablyl leading to the'top of hollow wall' of chamber `6, and withcirculation pipel com municating-fwith the vlowerp'ortion ofthe-5 I water jacket. il'While theapparatusmay'be variously assembled, an outer facefof'chamber 6 is preferably of ooncave'form'as shown at 6 to fit against. the wall of boilerQ, and with the apparatusy arranged vashere shown circulation connections 3 `and `etserve to sup-y port chamber 6. The preferable meansfforadmitting cold water to `the-'boiler is'throu'gha pipe 7 whichdischarges downwardly in water jacket 5 and through the latter and` through connection 4 into the lower portion of. the boiler. Circulation oi'f water through fthe water jacket is thus stimulated in addition to its natural tendency to circulate between the boiler and the jacket chamber.

Within chamber 6 is coni'ined a prede-` termined amount of liquid, a non-evaporating oil .being preferably used. downwardly into the chamber through its top and nearly to the bottom thereoi is a A .4 .dip pipe S which may be secured in the bushing '9, inwhioh bushing is also secured the lower end of pipe 10 which is, in eliect, an 'upward continuation of pipe 8 and which constitutes a passageway for conducting gas through a fitting 11 that is suitably connected to gas burning means for heating the water in boiler 2. The gas burning means and `the mechanism whereby theV gas-praV duced heat is transmitted to the water are not illustrated, as any of various forms of apparatus well known in the art may be utilized. p

The gas supply pipe 12 extends downwardly through pipe 10, being spaced there# from suiiiciently to provide a passageway 13 between the pipes and'oi3 ample area for the gas flowing to the burners. Pipe 12 extends downwardly into dip pipe 8, its lower extremity terminating slightly abo've the e level of the liquid in chamber 6 when the liquid is cool or cold, the approximate level.

at such time within chamber 6 and the dip pipebeing indicated by line A. In the up- Vper portion 6" of chamber 6 is air` or other gaseous medium which is adaptedy to ex-V pand and contract under the iniuence oi' 'the changing temperatures emanating from the Water jacket of chamber 6, also from boiler 2 when the apparatus is fitted Vthereagainst as here shown. Air is preferably utilized, although the invention isnot limited thereto.

In Y, operation, when the water is cool or cold the air orl other gas within space 6" is 1 fully contracted and the iiuid in the chamber aswell as in dip pipe 8 is sub stantially at level A, and the lower.L end of a gas inlet pipe 12 is fully open :tor the discharge of gas into passageway 13 formedby tube 10. Thel rising temperature ci the',`

. water resulting from heat derived from the gas thus; admitted to lthe heating apparatus heats chamber '6 through the circulation of the water through the water jacket, and the consequent increase in the temperature of the air or other gaseous medium in space 6l expands the same, thereby depressing the liquid level to approximately line B, and similarly raising the level in the kdip pipe and in the lower end of gas supply pipe'12 to approximately lines C and. D, respectively, the lower level in pipe 12 resulting from the head or pressure of gas in said pipe, whereas in space 13 substantially at- Extending mospheric Y pressure exists, any slight back pressure lproduced by the contracted burner outlets being negligible. vl/Vhen the liquid cated by lines B, C and'D, the liquid head within the lower portion of gas supply pipe 12 equals or slightly exceeds the gas pres- -has attained the approximate levels indisure and the flow is shut-oft altogether.

VBetween the extreme levels, z'. e., `while the liquid is being depressed trom level A to level B, the open extremity of pipe 12 becomes submerged andthe gas iiowisdifA minished, although the gas continues to dis' wardly into space 13 until the liquid head entirely predominates. for heatingthe water is thus automatically regulated to the exact amount for hea-ting the, water to a desired maximum, Olo-k yiously, as the Lwaterrcools there is correcharge through the liquid and bubbles up- The supply of gS sponding cooling and contraction oiV the gaseous medium in space 6 which permits the liquid to recede to or toward its normal level, thereby automatically restoring and increasing the flow of gas. lGas Jor supply-V ing a pilot'burner may be tapped off from pipe 12, for instance at point 14,*ior light ing the burners after the iiow has been re-' stored, this being a familiar expedient in water heating apparatus.

The maximum temperature of the the medium of a thermostatic valve which.- controls communication between' space 6" and the atmosphere. In addition,y this `expedient .serves toV maintain the required volume of air within said space, compenwater is'subject to automatic regulation through eating for loss that may in time result freni Y leakage, and for changes in density duev to absorption of the Voil Vor the fuel gas. As here embodied the therinostatic control consists of a tube 15 of copper or other 'material having the requisite co-'eihcients ofi expansion and contraction, the tube being secured in and depending fronithe top wall ci chamber 6 and in'closing a neutral rod 16. j VAbove the tube and rod is Vvalve casing 17 able vertically in theupperv end oi tube 15 and engaging' the upper extremity of -neutral rod 16. Head 23 is prevented from.

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rotating by pin 24C'which is slidablein slots -1 15 cut Vin the upper portion oivtube 15V. These slots also servetoestablish communr,Y cation between air space 6 and the seat of valvef18.`` Y i mostaticu tube 15 contracted'and:l` needle valve 18 open, son; that the gaseous :fluid-2 space-6` in. theupper portionv of chamber 6 is in 'communication' with the atmosphere.

For heating water to.a relatively hightem.-

perature cap 20 is retracted', Vtherebyzelongating the connection between fthe rvalve and the neutral element, with corresponding increase in the opening of the valve when the thermostat is contracted; and and hence4 requiring a higher heat to sulficiently expand tube 15 to permit the valve to close. While the valve is thus open the full amount of gas passesout of pipe 12 and to the burners and the water circulating through the water jacket is heated to a considerable degree before a temperature suiiicient to expand tube 15 to such an extent as to permit the valve to close has been attained. With the valve thus open the gaseous medium in chamber 6 is free to expand under the rising temperaturey without affecting the level of the liquid. But when the valve closes the ensuing expansion ot' the gaseous fluid changes the relative levels with relation to the dip pipe and to the gas supply pipe as above described, first diminishing the iiow of'gas and finally shutting it oil altogether. For heating water to a relatively low temperature cap 20 is advanced or set up, thereby shorteningthe connection between the neutral element and the valve and permitting thevalve to close with less expansion of tube 15 and hence at a lower temperaturey than in the operation first described. This results in more promptly confining the gaseous medium in space 6 and hence rendering it more vquickly effective for changing the liquid levels and checking the gas flow. The gaseous content of chamber 6 is thus always so maintained as to cause the water to be heated to the desired temperature. Also with the upper portion of chamber 6 in free communication with the atmosphere, variations in the density of the gaseous fluid resulting from absorption of oil or fuel gas are neutralized by reason of the free conimunication with the atmosphere, and hence j made operative bytemperature of fthevwater f- 'f higher than"such'predetermined tempera tureV for closing communicationl with the atmosphere, a fuel gas conduit, fand/means made voperative .by expansionofz the fgaseous lmedium after communication with? the atmosphere has been closed for controlling the flofw of gas lthrough said'A conduit.`

2. In a -waterf heater., lthe "combination of.; a liquid-container, a fuel-gas conduit,,1ineansi controlleld-rby variations or liquid levelwith-L inthe container for varying the flow. of

gas through the conduit, the space within the container above the liquid adapted to'k communicate with the atmosphere when the water being heated is below a predeter-4 mined temperature, and means made operative by temperature of the water higher than such predetermined temperature for closing communication with the atmosphere.

In a water heater, the combination of a liquid container, al fuel 'gas conduit, means `controlled by variations of liquid level within the container for varying the flow of Oas through the conduit, the container conhning a gaseous fluid above the liquid, means for subjecting the confined gaseous medium to variations in the temperature. of the water, a valve for controlling communication between the gas space of the container and the atmosphere, and temperature controlled means for actuatingV said valve.

4. In a water heater,`the combination of a liquid container, a fuel gas conduit, means controlled `by variations of liquid' level within the container for varying the liow orgas through the conduit, the container confining agaseous medium above the liquidv with such medium subjected to variations in the temperature of the water, a valve for -controlling communication between the gas space of the container and the atmosphere, and a thermostat within the container and operatively connected to said valve for controlling the movement thereof.'

5. In combination with a water heater; a chamber containing liquid and a gaseous fluid, a fuely supply line adapted to be opened and closed by the varying height of said liquid, the Aheight of said liquid being controlled by the quantity and temperature of said fluid, means controlling the temperature of said fluid by the temperature of the water being heated and thermostatically controlled means varying the quantity of said fluid contained in said chamber.'

6. -In combination with a water heater; a

chamber .containing liquid and a gaseous iaol the Water being heated and ineens for varying the quantity of said fluid conte-inedin said chamber by the temperature of the Water being heated.

7. In conibinationwith :L Water chamber containing liquid and a gaseous fluid, a fuel supply line adapted to be opened and closed by the varying height of said liquid, the height of said liquid being controlled by the quantity and temperature of said fluid, means controlling the temj heater ,a

peinture of seid Huid and means regulating the quantity of said fluid contained 1n seid'chamber according to the temperature to Which it is desired to heat the Water.

'In testimony whereof I aHiX my Signature inrpresence of tWoWitnesses.

Y ROBERT T. FARBEN,

`Witnesses: Y Y

I` ALEX. S. MABON, n J. M. NESBIT. 

